Ice Breaker Questions: What is one thing in your everyday life that you find it genuinely easy to get excited about? What does that reveal about where your heart naturally gravitates?

Discussion Questions
On the Nature of the World

1. Pastor Rino explained that John is not warning against loving creation or loving people, but against loving the world as a system of rebellion against God. How would you describe the difference between those two things in your own words? Where do you see the world's system most actively competing for your attention or affection?
2. Ephesians 2:1-2 describes how, before Christ, people walk according to the course of this world and the ruler of the power of the air. How seriously do you think most Christians take the idea that there is an active spiritual force working to shape culture, values, and desires? How does taking that seriously change the way you approach daily life?

On Divided Love

3. Pastor Rino said, "It's not what you're doing. It's what you're loving." What is the difference between those two things, and why does that distinction matter? Can you think of a time when you were doing the right things outwardly but your love was pointed in the wrong direction?
4. John writes in 1 John 2:15 that if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. That is a strong statement. How do you personally gauge whether your love for God is growing or shrinking? What indicators do you pay attention to?

On the Three Expressions of Worldliness

5. Pastor Rino defined the lust of the flesh as internal physical appetites demanding satisfaction outside of God's boundaries, the lust of the eyes as what we feast on visually and what we covet when we see others' lives, and the boastful pride of life as the desire for human acclaim and status. Which of these three do you think is most underestimated or least talked about in Christian circles today? Why?
6. Pastor connected the lust of the eyes to social media, to coveting others' perceived lives, and to the way we present ourselves to impress others. Where do you personally feel the pull of comparison most strongly? What has helped you, or what do you think could help you, resist it?
7. The Pastor shared a personal story about sinking money into a car to impress people and reflected that he could have bought three Porsches with what he spent chasing the approval of others. Have you ever looked back on a season of your life and recognized that you were spending time, energy, or money in pursuit of something that was really about pride or appearance? What did you learn from it?

On Gradual Drift

8. The Pastor said worldliness is a gradual process -- it does not overtake a person all at once. He used the story of Lot, who first looked toward Sodom, then journeyed toward it, then pitched his tents near it. What are some early warning signs that a person's heart is beginning to drift toward the world? What safeguards have you found helpful in your own life?

On the Eternal Perspective

9. Pastor Rino reflected on his father-in-law, who prioritized treasure in heaven so completely that he gave away his gifts, his teachings, and his time without concern for earthly compensation. He said, "His royalties are in heaven." What would it look like practically for you to make a decision this week that prioritizes eternal treasure over temporary gain?
10. The closing quote Pastor shared was: "Happiness is the gaze directed toward God. Sadness is the gaze directed toward oneself." How does that land with you personally? Where is your gaze most often directed?

Closing Prayer Focus
Close your time together by praying in these three directions:

1. Ask God to reveal any area where love for the world has quietly crowded out love for Him.
2. Ask for a renewed hunger for God's presence that outweighs the pull of the world's offerings.
3. Pray for the lost people in each group member's life by name, asking God to open doors for the gospel the way He opened one for Pastor at the driving range.